With so many conference delegates descending on the city on a regular basis, it’s essential that Barcelona has the infrastructure and facilities to meet their needs. Of course, it has them in spades in terms of hotels and restaurants, but also excursions and cultural activities; when lanyards have been handed back and business deals have been done, there is plenty to experience in Catalonia’s vibrant capital.
The Gallery Hotel, just off Passeig de Gràcia, one of Barcelona’s main avenues, is a great base. Its rooftop pool-cum-bar, The Top, is a hotspot in summer; geared perhaps towards a stay in cooler times of the year, the Gallery also has a gym and sauna.
Passeig de Gràcia is home to Casa Batlló and Casa Milà, two of architect Antoni Gaudí’s most famous confections. With its rippled walls, fanciful tile work in dragon-like scales and pillars that resemble bones, Casa Batlló stands out in a stellar line-up of beautiful buildings along the street.
Next door is jewellery store Bagués Masriera, founded in 1839, which has a long-standing reputation for creating art nouveau jewellery. Individual pieces are regularly commissioned from clients all over the world.
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A few doors further down is high-end clothes store Santa Eulalia. It is part of the IMG international men’s wear group, of which only luxury multi-brand family-owned stores can become members – and then, only one per country. (Louis Copeland is the only Irish member.) A lovely old-world-meets-new department store, it has one of the few remaining tailor workshops in Spain.
The Moco is a new addition to Barcelona’s lengthy and impressive list of museums; works by contemporary artists such as Damien Hirst and David LeChapelle sit next to “modern masters” including Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. A number of Banksys also adorn the walls.
From Moco it’s a short stroll down to the port, where you’ll see some superyachts and which is home to Barcelona Aquarium. It boasts a magnificent variety and species including shark, stingray and cute clown fish, all swimming overhead and alongside you.
Close by is Barcelonetta, a man-made beach where people of all generations and walks of life congregate and mingle. There is a smattering of beach bars and restaurants, and plenty of sellers peddling sarongs, drinks and massages.
Perhaps Barcelona’s best-known visitor attraction is Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s magnum opus and a Unesco World Heritage Site that attracts nearly three million people per year. Building has been ongoing on the church for more than 130 years, and it is finally due for completion in 2026.
It is not to be confused with the (mostly) 14th century Barcelona Cathedral, seat of the archbishop of Barcelona, which stands tall over a medieval square in the centre of the Gothic Quarter and is a historic landmark in its own right.
Las Ramblas is the city’s most famous street, a pedestrianised zone where you can purchase anything from high-street fashion to trinkets, where buskers and artists perform for locals and tourists.
For food, try El Quim restaurant at La Boqueria, Barcelona’s most iconic market, or stop for coffee at Mauri Bakery on Rambla de Catalunya. Tapas and drinks are fun at El Xampanyet and Bar del Pla. Lunch at Mirablau on Avenida del Tibidabo offers panoramic view of the city.
Back at the Gallery Hotel, the tasting menu at Sintonia restaurant has an inventive take on tapas – a la carte dishes have been miniaturised so that several can be sampled at a time, including pork belly, gazpacho, oysters and black rice. Try the croissants filled with ice-cream, a local delicacy that will leave room for nothing more, including breakfast.
And end the day with a nightcap overlooking the city at The Top, which is beautifully lit in the evening, before retiring to one of the hotel’s spacious bedrooms.
For more information see visitbarcelona.com
- Ryanair and Aer Lingus fly to Barcelona daily.
